Bankruptcy filings in the 12-month period ending December 31, 2017, fell just 0.7 percent, compared with bankruptcy cases filed in calendar year 2016. According to newly released data, 789,020 cases were filed in 2017, compared with 794,960 in the previous year.

The percentage decline is the smallest for a 12-month period since bankruptcy filings reached a peak in 2010. The number of bankruptcy filings is the lowest for any calendar year since 2006, and the seventh consecutive calendar year that filings have fallen.

Click on graph for larger image.

This graph shows the business and non-business bankruptcy filings by calendar year since 2001.

The sharp decline in 2006 was due to the so-called “Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005”. (a good example of Orwellian named legislation since this was more a “Lender Protection Act”).

Other than 2006, this was the lowest level for filings since 1995. This is another indicator of an economy that has mostly recovered from the housing bust and financial crisis.